Saturday simply wasn't the Celtics' night.
Boston fell 100-93 to the Toronto Raptors in Game 4 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series at the Walt Disney World bubble. The C's began the series with a 2-0 lead, but now find themselves in a best-of-three situation.
Kemba Walker put it simply after the game.
"It was a rough night for a lot of us," Walker admitted, via NBC Sports Boston's postgame coverage.
Indeed, it was.
Boston shot 44 percent (33-for-74) from the field, 7-for-35 from beyond the arc and committed 14 turnovers.
Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart struggled offensively, combining for just 16 points on 6-for-26 (23.1 percent) from the field. Kemba Walker did tally 15 points, but only took nine shots throughout the game. (After the game, he called this shot count "unacceptable.")
Jayson Tatum was perhaps the lone bright spot of the game, posting 24 points on 10-for-18 shooting in a whopping 42 minutes.
Brown explained that much of the Celtics' issues Saturday were "self-inflicted."
"Toronto hasn't done nothing that they haven't been doing," he told reporters. "They're a good team. I give them credit. But a lot of it was self-inflicted on us. Just, you know, making the right play, making it easy and really no pressure, just coming out and play basketball and have fun and do our jobs every single time, keep our will strong and everything will work itself out. So, that's it."
If the Celtics want their postseason to continue beyond Round 2, they'll need to make some serious adjustments following Game 4. From their typical third-quarter dominance to inconsistent shooting, the Raptors seem to have found Boston's weak spot, and they'll try to capitalize on it as the series progresses.
"I tip my hat to Toronto," Brown said. "They came out, played a good game, they'll have to come out and play a good game again (in Game 5).
"... It's the playoffs," he added. "Everybody knows it's the playoffs. It's time to play, that's it," Brown said. "So, ain't too much more talking that need to be done. Just got to come out and play better."
Here are some more notes from Saturday's Celtics-Raptors game:
-- The Raptors have been dominating the Celtics in the third quarter, and it's played a major role in their comeback from two games down.
"We've got to play better in those situations," head coach Brad Stevens said. "Obviously, it's easy to look at the stats and the numbers and say what they're doing -- we've been better in the fourth, and I just told the team to be down five or six or whatever we were with 46 seconds with the way we play, there are some positives, but we have to play a lot better. This is part of it, be the best when your best was needed, and we weren't even close tonight."
-- Would you call this a Game 3 hangover? Stevens wouldn't.
"I don't think there's any question we were (motivated after Game 3) and guys played exceptionally hard and did a lot of good things," Steven said. "But the other team's out there, too, and they made it very tough on us and when you miss, as you know, it can kind of cascade on you. That's what happened tonight. We've got to handle that better.
"I was pretty encouraged at halftime because we were shooting awful and it was 49-49. But it's just part of it. Just move on to what's next, right? Gotta play better, gotta shoot better, gotta feel better, gotta be ready to go on Monday night."
"... I don't feel like it was a hangover just from being around these guys the last two days. They've been in great spirits. I think they were really ready to play and, maybe, even anxious to play, right? But, you know, we've got a lot of competitive, tough guys who'll play better (in Game 5)."
-- One thing is certain heading into Game 5 on Monday -- Boston will have to fight for its life.
Just ask Brown.
"I'm a good shooter, just got to make them. It's make-or-break time. Two-two, series is tied up. Obviously, we didn't play that well, I didn't play that well. we've got to bounce back and get ready to fight. That's what it comes down to. So, we've got to be ready to fight for our lives next game."
-- Foul trouble was an issue for the Celtics.
Walker racked up five personal fouls, while Brown and Marcus Smart each had four. And it's certainly complicated their game.
Brown owned up to his shortcomings after the game.
"It's tough playing when you're in foul trouble," Brown said. "Obviously, it takes away some of your aggressiveness and things like that, just adjusting to the way the game is called, et cetera, is tough. I put myself in some tough positions and a lot fo that was on me."
-- Toronto dominated the Celtics in second-chance points, which proved to be a game-changer for the Raptors down the stretch.
"We just turned our heads and didn't block out," Stevens said. "I think that we just have to be more alert to that. They're doing a good job slashing and cutting and all that stuff, exchanging on the weak side on the pick-and-rolls. ... Credit them for going and getting those extra points. Those matter in a series like this."
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
